Highway beam distributor



Nov. 3, 1942. w, MAQKLE' 7 2,300,682

HIGHWAY BEAM DISTRI BUTER Filed Sept. 30, 1940 s sheets sheet 1 21 as L 27 ATTORNEY Nov. 3, 1942. w. J. MACKLE 2,300,682

HIGHWAY BEAM DISTRIBUTER Filed Sept. 50, 1940 s She ets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 3;, 1942 UNHTED STATES FATENT QFFICE HIGHWAY BEAM DISTREBUTOR.

William J. Macklc, Ladue, Mo. Application September 30, 1940, Serial No. 358,995

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to means and methods for imparting a radiant glOW or luminosit to the surface of highway trafiic lines a conventionally painted by trafiic markers drawn or pushed along the center of th highway.

conventionally this marking or striping is done by a wheeled marker, pushed along by the operator, the apparatus including a paint container, with means for feeding the paint down to brushes which contact the road for painting th said central traffic line on the highway.

The conventional traflic line however soon becomes dulled and especially at night is difficult to distinguish in the face of the blinding glare of approaching headlights.

It is the prime purpose of the present invention therefore, to provide convenient and practicable means for super-imposing upon the freshly painted trafi'ic line as same is made, a thin layer of light reflecting material, such as mica flakes or the like, that will reflect th rays of approaching head-lights to an on coming driver, and thus increase the visibility of the line to such driver.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the regular trafic line marker, an auxiliary wheel-borne distributor or spreader for attachment at the rear of the said marker, the same including a container for flaked mica or other suitable material, with means for depositing a thin layer thereof smoothly and evenly upon the freshly painted trafiic line as same is laid along the center of the road by the regular marker.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such other objects and advantages as may appear from the specification, attention is directed to the accompanying drawings as illustrating certain preferred embodiments and structural features of the invention and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the beam spreader as operatively attached behind a conventional traific line marker or painter, certain sections being broken away.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the beam spreader or distributor.

Figure 3 is a medial section, on the scale of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail" on a still larger scale, of the motor switch and clutch mechanism.

Figure 5 is a side elevation, on the scale of Figure 2, of the eccentric control for the agitator rod.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional detail of the gear control for the feeder drum.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional detail, en-

larged as to Figure 6, showing the method of beveling the extremities of the gear spokes and sockets of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the handle and clutch lever assembly, sections being broken out therefrom.

As above stated, this invention as illustrated in Figures 1 to 8, is designed for use with any conventional traffic line marker A having the boxlike paint container B, axle and wheel assembly C at the rear, frontal caster wheel unit Cl paint brush unit D underneath at the rear, and the handles E extended angularly upward and back, offset to one side.

The invention, as shown in Figures 1 to 8, comprises an elongate housing 5 open at its ends and preferably rectangular in cross-section. This housing is for vertical disposition and includes an upper chamber or receptacle 5a, a lower and somewhat constricted discharge chute 5b and an intermediate, transversely extended, cylindrical feeder-drum socket or chamber 50. The lower end of the housing at its forward side, is cut away to provide a clearance 5d disposed forwardly of the lower end of the rear wall of the housing as indicated at 56. The housing i also formed with an air channel 5;, leading downwardly through the lower end of the frontal wall of th housing, and a rearwardly inclined deflector plate 6 is bolted at 6a to the inner face of the lower end of the frontal wall of the housing, and forms in conjunction with the beveled inner corner of the lower end of the rear wall, a transversely elongated delivery port 1. A Vertically extended partition 6b is anchored medially to the inner face of the deflector plate 6, thus dividing the port 1 into two equal parts, for a purpose to be explained. Transversely aligned guide-lugs 8 are anchored at 8a upon the outer faces of the lower ends of the frontal and rear walls of the housing, and these lugs are bored through vertically as shown at 8b for slidably engaging guide-pins 9 anchored at their lower ends as at 911 to oblong wings 0r wind-breaks H), the latter being thus disposed in spaced relation at each end of the delivery port 1. The bores 8b are enlarged interiorly of the lugs 8 for the reception of coil springs ll braced at their upper ends against the necks of the bores and secured at their lower ends to the pins 9. These springs normally urge the wings l0 downwardly for a purpose to be explained. It will be noted that the wings I!) are inclined inwardly at their lower margins, to define a space substantially equal to the length of the delivery port 1.

A conical fan housing I2 is mounted by its reduced neck I2a in the outer mouth of the air channel 5;, an electric fan I3 is mounted within the housing, being supported upon cross braces I4 which are seated at their ends in the housing. This fan is designed for blowing air down through the port 1, and may be operated electrically from a battery (not shown).

A pair of bearing sleeves I5, I9, formed with flanges I511, I611, are secured, by bolts I! passed through these flanges, to the housing 5, in transverse alignment over the ends of the socket 5c, and a drive shaft or axle I8 is journaled through these sleeves.

A feeder drum I9 is fixedly keyed at I911 to the shaft I8, between the sleeves I5, I6, and

is transversely divided by means of thin partitions I9?) into equal compartments, buckets or receptacles I90 (here shown as six in number), the partitions being seated at their ends in circular end plates I 941 and all being dimensioned to nicely revolve within their cylindrical socket or chamber 50 as the shaft I8 rotates. The arrangement is such and the partitions are so spaced apart, that any two of the partitions are adapted to exactly span the upper mouth or inlet of the discharge chute 5b, for a purpose to be explained, and as clearly shown in Figure 3. One of the plates I9d' is relatively thick and is formed radially on its periphery with a plurality of equi-spaced spoke-sockets I9e which open angularly into the several compartments I90, as shown at I9 in Figure 7. As here shown there are twelve of these sockets ISe, spaced evenly around the end plate led.

A beater shaft 20 is journaled at 29a transversely in the housing 5 medially through the lower end of the receptacle 50., immediately above and parallel with the drive shaft I8, and a plurality of tamper beater blades 2|, equal in number to the compartments I90, are mounted longitudinally around this shaft, in equi-spaced relation, the elements being so dimensioned and arranged that as the shafts I8 and 20 rotate in unison, the tamper blades 2I will partially and successively enter, at their outer ends, into the several compartments I9c. A plurality of gear-spokes 22, equal in number to the spokesockets I9e, and spaced equally apart, are seated at one end in the end of the shaft 29 overlying the sockets I9e, and adapted to register with and enter said sockets. Thus as the shaft I8 rotates, the ends of the spokes 22 play into the sockets I9e, causing the beater blades 2| also to revolve. As clearly shown in Figure 6, the sockets I9e flare outwardly, thus facilitating the entrance of the spoke ends. The extremities of the spokes are beveled, as shown at 22a, for a purpose later explained.

A resilient flipper tongue 23 is anchored at its lower end to a rod I passed medially and transversely through the discharge chute b, the ends of this rod being seated in the housing Walls at each side as shown at Ma. The upper end of the tongue is forked as at 23a, and adapted to partially enter the compartments I90 as the drum I9 rotates. Thus the resilient fork flips against the partitions I 92) as the drum rotates and dislodges material therefrom, in manner later explained. This action may be augmented and facilitated by means of a pin 23b passed through a slot 230 in the tongue, and seated at its ends in the frontal and rear walls of the housing 5, and then mounting coil springs 23d over the the ends of the pin at each side of the tongue.

Rubber tired wheels 24 have their hubs 24a. freely journaled on the ends of the drive shaft or axle I8. The wheels 24 are of such diameter that as properly assembled the lower end of the delivery chute, as formed by the elements 5e and 6, will just clear the surface of the highway, While the wings ID will barely contact the surface under the resilient pressure of the springs I I. As shown in the drawing the lower corners of these wings I!) are rounded off, to facilitate their travel over the ground.

Short sleeves 25 are journaled on the extended ends of the axle-shaft I8, Where they are retained in place by nuts 25 turned onto the threaded ends of the shaft, and which marginally overlap the outer sides or ends of the sleeves. The wheel-borne assembly, as thus far described, is attached rearwardly of the marker A by means of a pair of rod-iron loops 2'! having feet 21a bolted at 28 in transverse alignment at each lateral margin of the rear side of the paint container B, the loops being extended angularly down, rearwardly of said container, and with their bight portions 29 disposed vertically. U- shaped iron brackets 39 are then bolted at 3| flatly to the rear vertical faces of the bights 29, and so that the vertically spaced legs 36a. of the brackets extend horizontally rearward in the vertical planes of the loops 21. The said bracket legs are tapped at 301) in vertical alignment, and heavy set screws 32 are passed through these tapped apertures. These screws have pointed extremities 32a adapted to seat within complemental sockets 25a formed in vertical alignment in the upper and lower sides of the sleeves 25, in diametrical opposition as to each pair. Thus when these screws are turned down into their sockets, the elements are firmly connected.

A space 33 is left between the bearing sleeve I6 and wheel hub 24a, at the right side of the assembly, and a cam-wheel or disk 34, peripherally grooved as at 34a is eccentrically mounted upon the axle-shaft I8, within this space, and is rigidly keyed to said axle-shaft.

A mica container or hopper 35 having a lower reduced neck 35a and an upwardly flaring body 351), is flexibly mounted by a rubber sleeve 36 upon the upper end of the housing 5. For this purpose the upper end of the sleeve encircles the neck 35a of the hopper and is fastened thereto by rivets 31, or in any conventional manner, while the lower end of the sleeve similarly engages and is secured at 38 to a sleeve-joint 39 slidably seated at its lower end in the upper end of the housing 5, as shown at 39a. Hangers 49 connect at each side of the hopper 35 with the handles E of the regular traffic line marker A, whereby the hopper and entire auxiliary assembly are maintained in operative relation. A hole 4| is pierced through the flaring bottom of the hopper 35, in vertical alignment over the cam disk or wheel 34, and a tubular guide or sleeve 42 is anchored vertically at its lower end over this hole, inside the hopper, as indicated at 42a.

A band 43 is passed around the cam-disk 34, slidably within the peripheral groove 34a thereof, the band being joined in an upstanding threaded shank 430.. An agitator operating rod 44 is threaded at its lower end 44a reversely to the threads of the shank 43a, and a tapped adjustment coupling 45 connects these two aligned elements. The rod 44 extends slidably up through the sleeve 42. The upper end of the rod 44 is turned at 44b horizontally inward and ends in an eye 44c, disposed centrally within the hopper 35.

An adjustment nut is rotatably seated on the eye 440 of the rod 44. An agitator rod 46 is thread-- ed at its upper end 46a, and thereby engages the nut 45. The rod 46 depends vertically and centrally through the hopper 35 and sleeve 38 into the upper end of the sleeve joint 39, immediately over the beater blades 2!. A number of stirprongs 4'! are passed laterally through the lower end of the rod 45.

A clearance space 48 is provided on the left hand end of the drive-shaft I8, between the wheel hub 24a and the bearing sleeve I5. The inner annular end of the hub 24a at this side is formed with clutch slots or recesses 24b and clutch tongues 240, all regularly formed and spaced. Similar and ccinplemental clutch slots I56 and tongues I are formed on the outer annular end of the bearing sleeve I5 at that side of the assembly. A clutch sleeve 50 is slidably keyed at 5| within a slot Illa, formed longitudinally in the shaft I8, this sleeve being formed on its annular ends with clutch slots 50a and tongues 5% complemental to the slots and tongues of the wheelhub and bearing sleeve as above specified. Thus as the sleeve 5%] is moved outwardly it interlocks with the wheel hub 24a at that side, and clears or frees the bearing sleeve I5. Thus as the wheel 24 turns the shaft i8 and feeder drum I9 also revolve. On the other hand when the sleeve 56 is moved inwardly it interlocks with the bearing sleeve I5 and frees the wheel hub Z-a. Thus the wheel 24 may turn freely on the shaft I 8, while the feeder drum I9 is locked against rotation. The preferable arrangement is such that when so locked, two of the partitions Ii-lb will exactly span and cover the upper mouth of the discharge chute 512, thus stopping flow of mica flakes (not shown) from the hopper 35.

A collar 590 is anchored medially around the sleeve 58. A bracket 52 is bolted at 53 to the left side of the housing 5, at the upper end there of, and extends out over the clutch sleeve 50, the outer end of said bracket being slotted through vertically as at 52c, parallel with the axle shaft I8. A clutch lever 54 is pivotally pinned at 55 within the slot 52a, the upper end of this lever being turned outwardly at 54a and ending in a handle 54b disposed to the hand of the operator. A clutch-fork 54c is formed or provided at the lower end of the lever 54 and placed freely in engagement with the collar 500 of the clutch sleeve 59, whereby this sleeve may be shifted in a conventional manner. is mounted over the adjacent ends of the bearing sleeve I5 and clutch sleeve 50, being braced at its ends against the flange I511 and collar 50c, the normal action of the spring being to urge the sleeve 50 outwardly and interlock same with the hub 24a, for rotating the shaft I8 and feeder drum I9. A cross brace 51 is extended between the upper ends of the marker handles E, the brace being anchored at its ends to the handles, as at 51a, and a bayonet or oifset slot 5'Ib-5'Ic is formed through this brace. The upper end of the clutch-lever 54 extends up through this slot, the elements being so arranged that by throwing the lever handle outwardly and into the offset portion 570 of the cross-brace slot, the clutch sleeve 50 is moved inwardly and interlocked with the bearing sleeve i5, and is held in such position until released.

The motor fan I3 is energized by means of a switch unit referred to generally at 60. This includes an insulated contact pin 6| inserted through a conduit 62 formed through the upper A heavy coil spring 56 TII wall of the sleeve I5, and opening into a cylindrical plunger chamber or'bore 53'formed in the wall of the sleeve perpendicularly to the axis of the conduit 62. A small bore 64 leads from the outer end of the bore 63 outthrough the outer annular end of the sleeve 85. A metallic plunger or piston 65 is reciprocably mounted in the bore 63 and a stem 66 isanchored at its inner end to the plunger 65 and passes slidably out through the small bore 54, where the outer end is adapted to contact the inner end of one of the clutch tongues 50b of the sleeve 55. A coil spring 61 seated within the inner end of the bore 53 normally urges the plunger 65 outwardly into contact with the inner end of the pin 5| for closing the electrical circuit. Conventional wiring 68 connects the battery (not shown) to the motor fan I3 and to the contact pin (it. The arrangement is such that when the clutch sleeve 50 is moved outward for meshing with the wheelhub 24a, the plunger 65 is forced by the spring 61 into contact with the pin Iii, thereby closing the circuit and energizing the motor-fan. When the sleeve 58 is moved inward. the stem 65 forces the plunger 65 from the pin 5|, thereby breaking the circuit.

In the use of the apparatus as described, the flaked or cormninuted mica, or other suitable matrial for the described purpose, is filled into the hopper 35, whence it flows by gravity, assisted by the agitators, down into the receptacle 5a and onto and around the beaters or tamper blades 2i. As the machine'moves over the highway and trailic line as formed by the marked A, the feeder drum I9 and blades 2! all rotate. Mica flakes fall into the several compartments lilo where same is packed and leveled off by the blades 2|. As the compartments I arerotated successively downward to an inverted position, their loads of mica are poured into the chute 5b, whence it is blown by the motor fan I3 out through the delivery port I, onto the freshly painted trafiic line (not sh0wn),as same is laid by the marker A. The partition 61) helps to evenly distribute the mica flakes substantially over the width of the traffic line, even though the highway sloped from side to side. The wings or wind breakers I0 slide along at each side of the discharge chute and prevent the mica flakes from being blown aside. If desired, the deflector plate 6 may be resiliently mounted at 6a, so as to yieldably pass over obstructions.

A dot and dash eifect may be, given the material as deposited by closing alternate ones of the buckets or compartments I90.

While I have here shown and described certain embodiments and structural features of the,

invention, the same may be changed within the scope of the claims.

A long course of experiment proves that mica flakes are probably the material best adapted for providing the described thin and radiant surface layer upon the freshly painted lane lines, since mica flakes flow smoothly and evenly from the distributor, are non-abrasive and are selfcleansing, thereby providing a permanently radiant surface for the lane line. I therefore also a material for the described purpose.

I claim:

1. In a device of the kind described, a vertically positioned, elongated housing, open through from end to end, and including an upper chamber for i comminuted material, a lower and relatively constricted discharged chute, and an intermediate.

cylindrical and transversely extended, feederdrum chamber, the wall of the lower end of the housing at its forward side being cut away to provide a lateral opening, and there being an air channel leading into the housing immediately above said opening adapted to engage the neck of a fan housing, a rearwardly and downwardly inclined deflector plate secured at its upper, forward end, to the lower margin of the frontal wall of the housing, the plate being extended in spaced relation to the rear wall of the housing to provide an elongated delivery port, a drive shaft extended axially through the cylindrical feeder-drum chamber of the housing and journaled through the sides thereof and adapted at their extended outer ends to receive wheels for carryin the unit and rotating the drive shaft, a feeder-drum keyed to the drive shaft within the feeder-drum chamber, a plurality of compartments extended peripherally around the feederdrum, a vertically reciprocable agitator supported on the housing and extended down into the upper chamber thereof, means connecting the agitator with the drive shaft for vertically reciprocating the agitator through rotation of the drive shaft, and means for supporting the housing in upright position.

2. In a device as defined in claim 1, a beater shaft journaled transversely through the sides of the housing above and parallel with the drive shaft,-a plurality of beater blades extended radially from the beater shaft and adapted to play into the compartments of the feeder drum, and means for rotating the said beater shaft and blades.

3. In a device of the kind described, a drive shaft, wheels on the ends of the shaft for supporting and rotating same, an elongated open ended housing vertically supported on the drive shaft, a medial portion of the housing surrounding the drive shaft being formed as a laterally extended feeder-drum chamber, a peripherally cupped feeder-drum keyed on the drive shaft within the feeder drum chamber, the housing being formed at its lower end below the drive shaft as a laterally elongated delivery chute, an elongated agitator vertically supported on the housing and arranged for vertical, reciprocating movement into the upper end thereof, a cam-disk eccentrically anchored on the drive shaft at one side of the housing, and means connecting the cam-disk with the said agitator for vertically reciprocating the latter upon the rotation of the. drive shaft and cam-disk.

4. In a device as defined in claim 3, a resilient flipper tongue mounted from lower end vertically within the lower end of the housing and adapted at its upper free end to flip on the cupped margins of the feeder drum, for dislodging material there- 5. In a device as defined in claim 3, means located between the lower end of said agitator and the upper side of the feeder drum, for forcing comminuted material in the upper portion of the housing down upon the feeder drum.

6. In a device as defined in claim 3, wings supported from the housing at either end of the said delivery chute to provide wind-breaks for the material passing from the port to the ground.

'7. In a device as defined in claim 3, one of said wheels being freely journaled on the drive shaft, clutch mechanism for releasably locking the wheel to the shaft, electrically operated means for blowing air down through the delivery port, and electrical connections and contacts between the clutch mechanism and electrical blower means, for automatically closing an electric circuit through the blower means as the clutch is set, and for opening the circuit as the clutch is released.

WILLIAM J. MACKLE. 

